Apparatus for pumping deep wells



lNvENToR ATTORNEYS BYE Feb. 23 1926.

Patented Feb. 23, 1926.

UNITED STATES ,PATENT OFFICE.

LEROY G'. GATES, OF BAKERSFIELD, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGN OR TO STANDARD OIL COM- PANYQ F SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, A CORPORATION OF CALIFORNIA.

APPARATUS FOR PUMPING DEEP WELLS.

Application 1ed.February 25, 1925. Serial No. 11,483.

To all whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, LEROY G. GATES, a citizen of the United States, residing at Bakersfield, in the county of Kern and State 5 of California, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Pumping Deep Wells, of which the following is a specification.

' My invention relates to apparatus for pump-ing deep wells, and is particularly adapted for pumping wells in which little or no gas is present. In such wells it is economical to use the well casing itself for conducting the pumped fluid to the surface, said casing being packed olf in the-region of the pump, which draws the i'luid from the casing below the packer and discharges it again into said casing above said packer to beconducted to the surface. Thisvpractice eliminates the use of a separate tubing string, which is not only expensiveto install, but involves considerable labor and a great loss of Vtime whenever the pump is pulled to the'surface for cleaning or repair.

The principal object of my invention is to vprovide a pumping apparatus which can make use of the. well casing for conducting the pumped oil to'the surface, and which can be pulled, for cleaning or repair, without losing the entire column of pumped uid which stands above the pump. The losing of the pumped fluid column back into the well, as is usual when pumps of the present known types are pulled, results in 35 considerable loss of time when the casing .is used as the fluid conduit, because, on account of the large diameter of said casing, a great quantity of fluid is lost, and, in deep wells, a pump of average capacity must run continuously for several days before the casing is filled and the column of pumped fluid reachesthe surface. This loss of time partially offsets the saving resulting from the elimination .of the tubing string. By the use of the apparatus embodying my present invention, however, the column of pumped oil is retained in the casing when the pump is pulled, so that full advantage is taken of the economies resulting from the 50 elimination of the tubing string.

A further object of my invention is to provide improved means for supporting the pumping apparatus within the well. In comparatively shallow wells the usual slips may be employed for supporting the pump by fictional engagement with the casing, butin deep wells the'weight of the column of pumped fluid of the full diameter of the casing is too great for the slips, and in such cases I provide a supporting column or foot extending from the pump to, and resting upon, the bottom of the well. Obviously, either the slips or the supporting foot, or both, may be used, 'depending upon the conditions of the particular well. When both Such supporting means are employe-d, I provide means, fully described hereinafter, for distributing the weight between them, so that each will bear its -proper share.

The -pumping member of my apparatus 'may be of any desired type, and may be operated either bythe usual sucker rods from the surface, or maybe driven by a suitable motor associated with the pump and loweredwith it into the well by a cable or other means of suspension. The latter type of apparatus is preferable, eliminating the sucker rods, which are not only inefficient in operation, on account of the friction losses involved, butl which necessitate much time and labor when the pump is pulled. Therefore, by using a suitable motor driven pump in combination with my apparatus, it can be pulled to the surface and replaced in a very short time, merely by winding and unwinding the suspending cable, and when replaced, is ready'to resume production at once, on account of the retaining of the pumped fluid column within the well.

For purposes of illustration, the motor driven type of pump is indicated in the accompanyingv drawings, but the details of construction thereof have been omitted as forming no part of the present invention. It is to be understood, moreover, that the form and construction of the apparatus herein vshown and described may be varied, withinuthe limits of the claims hereto appended, without departing from the spirit of the mvention asset forth in said claims. 10

erated by any suitable With this in view, a preferred embodiment of my invention will now be fully described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings wherein Fig. 1 1s a broken longitudinal section of my well pumping apparatus in operative position in a well.

Fig. 2 is a similar view of portions of the supporting and packing member of the -apparatus with the pumping member removed therefrom.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a modified form of supporting and packing member for carrying the weight ofthe apparatus and the column of fluid.

In the drawings, and referring for the moment to Fig. 1 thereof, the reference numeral 1 designates the casing of a well, and 2 is a pump body adapted to be lowered thereinto by any suitable means, as foreX- ample a cable 3. The pump body 2 may be of any desired construction. For purposes of illustration I have shown a barrel 4, in which a plunger 5 operates. Suction and discharge valves 6 and 7, respectively, are provided, the latter being carried \in said plunger. rlphe pumped well fluid passes up through the plunger 5 and a suitably disposed passage indicated at 8, and is discharged into the well casing through a port 9. The plunger 5 is understood to be opechanism carried within the pump body 2, but as such mechanism forms no part of the present invention, it has been omitted from the drawglso the lower end of the pump body 2 is secured a member 2 which is provided with a tubular extension 10 forming a suction intake to the barrel 4. Said tubular extension is adapted to fit into a packer member 11, which is provided with suitable packing 12 to form a tight joint with said extension. Said packer member 11 is fur-r ther provided with exterior npacking 13 adapted to pack off the casing 1. Said packing 13 is preferably carried between the lower end of the member 11 and a flange 13 'formed upon a member 11 which has a sliding connection, as shown at 11, with said member 11, sotthat said packing is compressed between said members and is thereby expanded'into tight contact with the casing 1. The members 11 and 11 are further provided with a fluid passage 14, to enable the well fluid below said packer member to be drawn up into the pump barrel 4. A check valve 15 is provided in said passage 14, so that, when the pump body 2 is withdrawn from the packer member 11, as shown in Fig. 2, and the latter left in the well, the entire column of pumped well fluid will be retained in the casing 1 above said packer member.

The packer member 11]r is preferably sup-v ported in the well by means of slips 1G, adapted to grip the inside of the casing 1. Any suitable mechanism may be provided for operating said slips. For example, in Fig. 3 I have shown a centrally disposed head 17 slidably mounted within the packer member 11, and connected with the slips 16 by rods 18. A spring 19 normally forces said head and said slips upwardly, thereby causing them t0 be Vexpanded against the casing 1 by the inclined surfaces 20 in the usual manner. A laterally movable latch 21 retains the head 17 and slips 16 in their lower, or non-engaging position, as shown. Said latch is provided with a linger 22 adapted to be engaged by a toothed wheel 23 which also engages the casing 1 and is rotated by such engagement when the packer members 11 and 11" are raised or lowered within said casing. Thus when the packer members are lowered, the toothed wheel 23 is rotated in a clockwise direction, and has no effect upon the latch 21, but a slight upward movement of said packer members causes opposite rotation of said toothed wheel, which engages the finger 22 and thereby moves the latch 21 outwardly, freeing the head 17 and. causing the slips 16 to be set by their spring 19. y

The latch 21 is further provided with a lip 24, adapted to engage the shouldered ulower end "of a rod 25 secured to and extending downwardly from the bottom end member 2 of the pump body 2. Such engagement provides a connection between the pump body and the packer melnbers, so that both may be initially lowered into the well together. When the desired depth has been reached, a slight upward movement first sets the slips 16, as described above, and then causes the lip 24 of the latch 21 to free theshouldered lower end of the rod 25, thereby permitting the pump body 2 to be drawn up, when necessary, independently of the packer member 11. The latter is preferably provided with a shoulder 26 formed in its interior passage 14, adapted `to be en`- gaged by a suitable fishing tool, not shown, by which said packer member may be removed from the well when desired.

It will readily be seen that, after the packer members 11 and 11 and the pump body 2 have been lowered together into the well, as described above, said pump body may be pulled out, for repair or cleaning` and replaced in the well, without disturbing said packer members, and without losing the column of well Huid thereabove. The lower end of the pump suction extension 10 ,is preferably tapered, as shown at 27, to enable it to enter the packing 12 of the meinber 11, andmay be provided with a linger 28 adapted to move the check valve 15 olf its seat when the body 2 is associated in pumping position with the packer member 11, as

, shown in Figs. 1 and 3. Said check valve returns to its seat, as shown 1n Fig. 2, when -well fluid from flowing the body 2 is pulled away from said packer member, to prevent the column of pumped back into the lower portion of the well.

The tubular extension 10 is preferably made relatively small in diameter, so as to leave the bottom surface 2.of the body member 2 as large as possible. This bottom vsurface 2^is, of course, exposed to the pressure of the pumped fluid in the casing 1, and

such pressure, acting upwardly against said bottom surface 2, tends to assist the cable 3 in initially breaking said body 2 away from Ithe packer member 11, thereby preventing undue strain on said cable. For the same reason, the packer member l1, is provided upon its upper end with relatively narrow lugs 10', upon which the bottom 2 of the member 2 rests, so that the fluid pressure may be exerted upwardly against said bottom. Obviously,- if the member 2 were set tight-upon the packer member, the fluid pressure upon the upper end of the pump body would be so great; in deep wells, as to .necessitate a much heavier cable to initially separate the body 2 from the packer, than would be required to lift said bodyl after such separation.

A In many deep wells the slips 16 may be unable to, support the weight of the column of pumped well fluid above the packer member 11, and in such cases I prefer to provide a supporting foot 29, as shown in Figs. l aud 2, the lower end of which rests upon the bottom of the well, and the upper end of which is connected with the packer member 11. VSaid foot may be of any suit-able form, as for example a perforated tube, as shown.

If it is desired to use-the slips 16 in connection with the supporting foot 29, the con# struction shown in Figs. l and 2 may be.em

ployed to set said slips, and to properly distribute the weight between said slips and` said foot. In this construction, a limited relative movement is permitted, by means of the interengaging flanges 30 and 31, between the packer member 11 and the foot 29.

A heavy spring o32 is interposed between the bottoni of the packer member 11 and a shoulder 32 formed upon said foot, and a lighter spring 33 is interposed between said shoulder and the slips 16, as shown. When, :In lowering the apparatus into the well, the foot 29 reaches the well bottom, and comes to rest, the heavy spring32 is compressed by theV further downward movement of the packer member 11', and during such further movement, the lighter spring 33 sets the slips 16 against the casing 1 by moving them i'apwardly upon their inclined surfaces 20.

'takes care of any expansion or contraction of' the parts, or any settling of the foot 29.

, Obviously, the slips 16 may be omitted entirely, if desired,`from this construction, in

which case the entire weight of the packerD members 11 and 11 and the column of pumped fluid supported thereby rests upon the foot y29. The buffer or supporting spring 32 may or may not be used, as desired, when the slips 16 are omitted.

1. An apparatus for pumping wells comprising a member adapted to be positioned within a well and having a fluid passage extending therethrough; a 'pump separably associated with said member and adapted to draw the well fluid through said passage and to discharge it into a column of fluid extending upwardly from said member; a valve in said passage for supporting said i'luid column above said member when the pump is'separated therefrom; and means for automatically opening said valve when the pump is associated with said member.

2. An apparatus for pumping wells comprising a member positioned within the well casing and adapted for removal independently thereof; a pump separably associated with said member and adapted to discharge the well fluid into afluid column extending upwardly from said member; and Ameans for supporting said fluid vcolumn above said member when the pump is Separated therefrom.

3. An apparatus for pumping wells comprising a member adapted to be positioned within a well; meansassociated with said member for gripping the well casing;

means controllable from the surface of the ground for operating said gripping means; a pump separably associated with said member and adapted to discharge the well fluid into a fluid column extending upwardly freni said member; and means for supporting said fluid column above said member when the pump is separated therefrom.

4. An apparatus for pumping wells comprising a member adapted to be positioned within a well; a support for said member extending therefrom to the bottom of the well; a pump separably associated with said member and adapted to discharge the well fluid into a fluid column extending upwardly from said member; and means for supporting said fluid column above said member when the pump is separated therefrom.

5. An apparatus for pumping wells comprising a packer member adapted to be positioned within a well to' divide it into a lower portion and an upper portion; a. pump separably associated with said packer member and adapted to draw the well fluid from said lower portion of the well and to discharge it into said upper portion; and

means' for preventing the pumped fluid from flowing back into said lower portion when the pump is separated from said packer member.

6. An apparatus for pumping wells comprising a packer member adapted to be positioned within the well to divide it into an upper portionand a lower portion, said packer member having a fluid passage therethrough; a valve mounted in said packer member for preventing downward flow through said passage; and a pump separably-associated with said packer member for causing upward flow of the well fluid through said passage.

7. A well pumping apparatus con'iprising a member adapted to be positioned within the well; a pump initially connected with said member for lowering therewith into the well; said pump being adapted to draw the well fluid from below said member and to discharge it into a fluid column extent ing upwardly therefrom; means for disconnecting said pump from said member while in the well to permit said pump to be raised independently of said member; and means associated with said member for supporting said fluidy column when the pump is separated therefrom.

8. An apparatus for pumpingwells comprising a member adapted to be positioned within a well; a support resiliently connected with said member and extending therefrom to the bottom of the well, a pump separately associated with said member and adapted to discharge the well fluid into a fluid columnextending upwardly fromv said men'iber; and means for supporting said fluid column' above said member when the pumpis separated therefrom.

9. An apparatus for pumping wells comprising a member adapted to be positioned within a well; means associated with said member for gripping the well casing; a support movably associated with said member and extending therefrom to the bottom of the well; means actuated by the relative movement between said member and said support for operating said gripping means;`

a pump separably associated with said member and adapted to discharge the well fluid into a fluid column extending upwardly from said member; and means for supporting said fluid column above said member when the pump is separated therefrom.

l0. An apparatus for pumping wells comprising a member adapted to be positioned within a well; means associated with iaid member forgripping the well casing; a support n'iovably associated with said member and extending therefrom to the bottom of the well; a resilient weight-supporting connection between said member and said support; means actuated by the relative movement between said member and said support for operating said gripping means; a pump separably associated Vith said member and adapted to discharge the well fluid into a fluid column extending upwardly from said member; and means for supporting said fluid column above said member when theI pump is separated therefrom.

In testimony whereof I name to this specification.

LEROY G. GATES.

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